In Our “Generalist” Era: Skills and Specialization in the Age of AI

I recently finished the book “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” by David Epstein. It was a fantastic read and really got me thinking about (you guessed it) skills and the workplace of the future. 

It was such a thought-provoking book for me because of the way that it calls into question a deeply entrenched narrative in our culture: the idea that specialization leads to success. Epstein argues that, contrary to popular belief, developing wider, broader, and more diverse skillsets is the key to greatness.   

How could that be possible? We send our kids to “head start” programs and sign them up for soccer immediately after they take their first steps because that’s how they’ll dominate the competition… right?! 

Not so fast, says Epstein. Using the story of Tiger Woods in contrast with Roger Federer, he makes his case. Tiger Woods was a golf prodigy, and a shining example for parents hoping to create their own sports stars one day. Roger Federer, on the other hand, tried many sports (e.g., skateboarding, wrestling, basketball) in his foundational years, gravitating to tennis later. Both athletes have had impressive careers, but the difference in approach couldn’t be wider.  

Tiger took the more specialized approach from the start. Whereas Roger Federer gained the skills of balance, hand-eye coordination, and footwork from other sports, contributing to his overall athleticism. He then gravitated to a set of specialized skills when tennis became his passion and focus.  

So which athlete took the “right” approach? Turns out, in most environments, early specialization does not equate to dominance in any given field. Golf is the exception, not the rule! 

Golf creates something called a “kind” environment for players, which means that the path to learning is straightforward. Kind environments are the fields where we’ve already seen AI start to surpass our best human minds (e.g., IBM’s Deep Blue defeated a chess grandmaster all the way back in 1997). 

In contrast, most workplaces are “wicked” learning environments. No shade to any employer out there – it just means that the path to learning is much more complicated. The “rules” aren’t clear, and feedback is delayed or obscure. There are more variables at play – more ambiguity. Not surprisingly, these environments also make it harder for AI to compete with the human mind (e.g., AI won’t replace a firefighter anytime soon).  

Having Range Means Having Adaptability within Ambiguity 

To elaborate this point, let’s look at the animal kingdom.  

Some species can be found all over the place, including in our cities and towns, while others are much rarer and are usually seen in a zoo. For example, the raccoon can survive in a wide variety of environments like the forest, mountains, and our urban backyards. Think of raccoons as the “generalists” here. In contrast, an animal like the koala lives in a small geographic zone based on its diet and behavior. You might say it’s a “specialist.” 

Many people have been taught that being successful means being a koala: specialize and go deep on a certain skillset. This could mean becoming a microbiologist with a PhD studying a niche organism with interesting properties. Or an analyst with a deep set of data skills.  

But not everyone is wired to get their PhD in microbiology or be a data whiz. Some people have more varied interests, experiences, and talents that make it difficult to “pick a lane.” They’re like raccoons. And their strength lies in their ability to adapt and adjust to changing environments. 

We can’t all be koalas. And that’s more than okay, because healthy ecosystems require a diversity of creatures to thrive, and so do our organizations. Also, we need to be ready for the inevitability of AI encroachment on certain specialized tasks. So, while employees often need specialized skills to do certain aspects of their jobs, teams need to be able to draw on varied knowledge to overcome obstacles in the workplace of the future.  

Back to the book – Epstein shared several examples to demonstrate how crucial it is to have a range of skillsets in the room when tackling a novel problem. In one story, a group of scientists couldn’t figure out how to clean up a catastrophic oil spill off the coast of Alaska (it couldn’t be pumped out of the water due increased viscosity at cold temperatures), and a complete outsider, a construction worker, was able to develop a solution based on his experience working with concrete!  

Finding, Nurturing, and Retaining Generalists for Maximum Impact 

I think now, more than ever, generalists can shine in today’s workplace. 

They aren’t people with many skills with limited proficiency; rather, they have a unique combination of skills and expertise that make them adaptable to the new, post-Covid workplace. They can see a bigger picture, connecting diverse groups and concepts to tackle problems and find novel solutions.  

We can see the benefits of this in education, as well. I experienced it first-hand! One of my degrees required that students take 75 percent of their course work in areas not related to the specific degree. The goal was to create graduates with a generalist viewpoint and broad, worldly knowledge. 

The gig or flex work economy bears this out, too. I once worked with a client who had a set of generalist skills that their primary role necessitated. These were broader skills that allowed them to adapt and work across the business. Additionally, they had the opportunity to learn and earn new skills to create depth and specialization to work in other areas. It allowed them to flex where there was a need within the business or a desire by the employee to apply their learned skills and increase their compensation.  

Creating a “Kinder” Workplace with HR Strategy 

So, how can you avoid creating teams with too-narrow focus while striving to become a skills-based organization? Especially as AI capabilities are becoming increasingly powerful… 

First, visibility for HR leaders into who has what skills across the organization is going to become increasingly necessary. With this view, leaders can make informed decisions about where to lean into AI and where to mix things up to increase innovation. They’ll see which teams have become too specialized and which need deeper skillsets.  

I’ve shared in the past how important culture is for creating a thriving skills ecosystem. Culture, learning, and skills work hand-in-hand as you build out the environment to allow your employees know, grow, and move within the business.  

To build out a culture that supports generalists and specialists alike, you need to start answering questions like: 

• Do you create a generalist framework for jobs with a broader set of skills, looking for unique combinations of expertise that can be applied across the business?  
• Do you create project- or rotation-based roles that allow those individuals to float across to apply their skills while gaining new ones – benefiting them and the business?  
• What are the skills that support your cultural mindset?  
• How do those skills help create a workforce comprised of specialists AND generalists, reinforcing your culture, and allowing employees to learn, earn, and move as the business needs?  

As you build your strategy around skills, your organization can help the generalist by giving them opportunities to apply their strengths, gain new skills, and receive recognition for what they’ve accomplished.  

It will only strengthen your employees’ purpose, connection to the organization, and a culture of success.